


I Still Do

by lilybeanyates



Category: Why Don't We (Band)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:47:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 17,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26533099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilybeanyates/pseuds/lilybeanyates
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

"Reagan! Come on, you're going to be late!" my sister, Kennedy, calls. "Dang it. Hang on!" I call back, shoving a change of clothes into a duffel bag, along with a towel, bathing suit, powder-chalk, and hand wraps. I slide my feet into my black Nike shoes, lacing them tight and tucking the laces under the tongue. I stand and jog down the stairs, getting into my Jeep and backing out quickly, driving to my warehouse-loft-turned-gym. We get out and I smile at the 5 Why Don't We band members. "Who's ready to kickbox?" I call, bouncing excitedly on the balls of my feet. Daniel nods, biting his lip nervously. "Sure," Jack says, unsurely. 

"Come on, guys. You've got this. Kennedy will demonstrate before any of you try." I coax. "Wait, what?" Kennedy cocks her head in confusion. "That's why I asked you to wear light clothes. Let's go." I walk past them, brushing arms with Daniel. They groan and follow me in. I chalk my hands up and wrap them with athletic gauze, taping them with my favorite purple tape. I slide my feet on the ground, seeing if I have a good grip. "Unless one of you feels confident enough?" I offer, raising an eyebrow. 

"What- no." they murmur amongst each other. "That's what I thought. Come on, Keddie." I call, then turn to Jack. "Jack, sweets, could you tie my hair up for me? Tight. Thanks." I call. He runs his hands through my knotted, curly lilac hair, pulling it up into a bun on top of my head. "Thanks, love." I wink. I turn to Kennedy, lifting my hands. "Reagan, I'm not comfortable with this. You won't go easy on me." she blurts anxiously. I sigh. "Fine. Hold the bag stable for me." I command. She positions herself behind the black punching bag, filled with sand. I roundhouse kick, grunting and slamming my instep, causing Kennedy to stumble to the side. 

I jab and cross-hook, and Kennedy falls backward onto her butt. "Oof," she says as the air is forced out of her. "Sorry, Keddie." I grimace and walk over, helping her up. "Daniel, go..." the boys push him towards me. "Kennedy, help them with jabbing. The mitts are in the bag. Daniel, we'll work on your kicks. Your punches are actually really good." I push a freestanding punching bag in front of him. I look at his shoes. "Can I wrap your feet? Those aren't the best shoes for kicks." I suggest, biting my lip shyly. He slips them off and sits on the ground. I crouch, wrapping around his ankle, arch, and instep. I pat chalk onto his heels and stand, patting the excess chalk onto my legs. "Okay. Ready?" "I'm going to look like an idiot."

He shakes his head, chuckling. "So did I. Kennedy still does." I stage-whisper, and she glares at me. I laugh, shaking my head to regain focus. "Remember, you have to stay focused. Lose your focus and your opponent had one on you. Keep. Your. Head. In. The. Game." I bite my lip and watch as he swings his leg out and around, staggering when he comes in contact with the bag. "Damn," he mutters, running a hand through his bleached blonde hair. "Your roots are showing." I tease. He narrows his eyes. He jabs the bag, grunting and breathing hard through his mouth. He staggers back, wiping sweat from his forehead, rolling his neck. "Hey. Look at me." He glances at me, his gorgeous blue eyes locking onto my mismatched eyes, one green, the other light brown. 

"Take your time. Breathe. In, out. Nose, mouth. You're hyperventilating, and the blood is draining from your head to supply the rest of your body. You'll pass out if you don't take a break." I say, putting a hand on his shoulder. The collar of his shirt is soaked with sweat, and I laugh. "Get some water. Cool down. We can practice your punches, or if you feel you're ready we can go on one." He nods, pulling the shirt over his head and throwing it in the corner. He stretches his back, and I try not to stare at his... slender yet fit build. 

I blush, looking away quickly when he jogs back to me carrying two ice-cold bottles of water. I catch one and down the contents in less than a minute. "Thanks." I gasp in a breath. "Sure." he chuckles. "On one?" he suggests. "Alright, but just so you know, I refuse to go easy on you." "Sure, shorty." he laughs when I fake-glare. "Rae Rae, go easy on him, be fair," Kennedy calls. "No. Please don't. I can't learn unless you come at me full force." "Okay." I slip off my sweat-soaked tank top and shimmy out of my sweats, leaving me in a Nike sports bra and compression shorts. I braid my hair into two Dutch braids and tie a headband around my head to keep the flyaways out of my face. I crack my neck and jog in place, grinning evilly. 

"Damn." I hear Jonah murmur. I whip my head around. "What?" I frown. "Hm? Nothing." "Oh-kay." I turn and lift my fists to my heart, jabbing the air a few times. "Ready?" Daniel asks. "I am. Are you?" I tease. He runs forward, jabbing with his left hand. I block with my forearm and twist under his arm, round-housing him in the side. He grunts and staggers forward, regaining balance and turning to face me. He ducks, dodging a few hits, sweeping my legs out from under me. I fall, landing on my coccyx, a sharp pain shooting up my spine.

I groan, leaning back. I sit up slowly, smiling to hide the pain. "Hey, sorry, you okay?" he asks, worried, extending a hand to help me up. "Don't ever apologize for winning," I say, patting his side and walking to the cabinet. I grab a protein bar and practically inhale it. "Mmm." I roll my eyes back in my head, moaning. "Is it good?" Zach teases, leaning against the wall. I nod emphatically. My eyes travel down his shirtless torso involuntarily, and I groan. 

"Damn hormones," I mutter. "I know, right?" Kennedy grins at Zach. "I'm done. Let's hit the showers, guys!" I call. I jog to the newly-renovated girl's locker room and strip. I turn on the shower, letting the hot water soothe my sore muscles. I wash my face, then scrub the sweaty smell off of my pale, freckled skin, scrubbing 'til I'm pink and raw. I pat myself dry with a fluffy white towel and pull on my undergarments(a lacy black bra and a matching set of panties. Gifted to me by Kennedy, oc.) and pulled on my acid-washed ripped jeans and a black Why Don't We hoodie. I pop my contacts out and slide on my silver-framed tea shade glasses. I slide on my dirty white slide on Vans and walk out, where Kennedy and the boys are all waiting.


	2. Chapter 2

"What?" I smile awkwardly as they all go quiet. "Nada," Kennedy smirks and heads to the Jeep. She gets in the driver's seat, which really confuses me. "Zach and Corbyn are riding with me." she declares. "You'd better take really good care of my baby," I warn, turning on my heel and heading to the boys' car, a black 2006 BMW M5. I let out a low whistle. "She's in amazing condition, guys." I smile, opening the back door. "Nope. You're upfront." "Chivalry is not dead," I comment. I walk to the opposite side and slide into the passenger seat. I run my hand along the smooth dashboard.

Daniel slides next to me, adjusting the seat farther back to accommodate his long legs. Jonah and Jack get in the back and Daniel turns the volume on the radio up loud. I snort when I hear 'These girls' playing. "Do you mind if I change it? This band is trash." I titter. He shoots me a look and I raise my hands in surrender.

"Kidding!Love y'all. See? Got the merch!" I defend myself, patting my chest. He shakes his head and looks back to the road, chuckling. I turn the radio up louder and roll down my window, whooping as the wind blows my hair around into my face. He hands me his phone and I play 'Church Bells' by Carrie Underwood. I sing along, using his phone as a mic. I whip my head around, wiggling in my seat. 

The boys crack up, and I laugh along with them. Daniel's right hand is resting in the middle console, and I grab it, shaking his arm around as I dance. 'Radioactive' by Imagine Dragons plays next and I gasp."This. Is. Ma. SONG!" I giggle, threading my fingers with Daniel's, singing loudly and passionately. "I feel it in my bones!" I sing, my cheeks flushed and my eyes bright. We stop at a red light and the man in the car next to us gives me a weird look. 

I grin and sing louder as we drive off. 'The Champion' by Carrie Underwood booms in the speakers, and I gasp. "I'll be the last one standing, two hands in the air, I'm the champion! You'll be looking up at me when it's over, I live for the fight, I'm a soldier, yeah." I sing, my eyes shut tight as I sing loudly, whipping my head around. I hear the boys sing with me, my voice all but drowning out theirs. Daniel hits the beat on the wheel, nodding his head. I lift my hand up, letting the wind blow against it. The 3 boys rap the part by Ludo. 

I whistle, staring at Daniel's handsome face. I sing the last words and we all cheer. We sing 'What Am I', and Daniel's singing along to his own voice when we pull up to their Bev. Hills house. I hop out, grinning. "Finally, I get to see where you sleep." I wag my eyebrows, trying to come off as creepy. They laugh and Daniel pulls me against his chest, out of the way of my Jeep pulling into their long concrete driveway. 

"Damn. Thanks." I look up, jerking away when I realize my hand is resting on his chest and his on the small of my back. I skip to the door, pushing it open, and squeal when a small, fluffy golden retriever puppy jumps onto my legs. "Hi, oh my goodness, you're adorable!" I coo, falling to my knees and scooping the dog up into my arms. "Reagan, I'd like you to meet the newest addition to the Why Don't We family, Tucker," Daniel says in a regal voice.

I giggle and kiss the pup's nose, sighing with joy when he licks my nose, the drool going up my nose. I wipe it off, standing with the dog in my arms. "Damn. Never thought I'd feel jealous of a dog." Daniel rubs the back of his head awkwardly. I look at him curiously, wondering if that was a joke.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey everyone! Come here!" Kennedy calls inside. I look at Daniel and go outside. "Rae Rae, wanna take the boys trail riding? Isn't Aunt Tanya's farm near here?" "Oh, hell yes! Have any of you ever ridden a horse?" I ask, smiling. Corbyn and Zach raise their hands. "Oh, Texans." I sigh. 

"When I was really little I went on a pony ride at the fair." Jonah offers. I nod, going inside and putting Tucker on the floor. I look the boys over. "Um... you might wanna wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. I don't know if Tanya has groomed them.I'll teach you how to tack up a horse. Um, wear boots... or something. We have to go home quickly to change." "If you teach me how to ride horseback, can I teach you how to skateboard?" Jack asks. I nod. 

"Do you know where I live?" I ask Corbyn, who nods. I toss him the keys to my Jeep and he slides in. Daniel, Jack, and Jonah sit in the back, Zach next to Corbyn, Jonah in the middle. I slide in after they all buckle and plop myself onto Daniel's lap. He lets out a surprised noise. "Corbyn, go the speed limit, this isn't exactly legal." I request. "Who do I..." Kennedy asks. "It'll be most comfortable for Jack, considering he has a window seat," I suggest.

She nods and sits on Jack's lap. Daniel hesitantly wraps his arms around me. I pull his arms tighter around my middle. "Daniel, Jack, hold on tight, you're our seatbelts. And Corbyn? Take care of my baby." I say. I adjust myself on his lap, sitting sorta sideways with my arms around his shoulders. I put my head on him, closing my eyes and loving the feel of the cool wind rushing through the windows, blowing my hair around. When I open my eyes Kennedy is looking at me with wide eyes, stifling a smile. 'I know' I mouth. 

We pull into our apartment's parking garage and I slide out. The boys follow me up. I unlock my door, smiling at Ms. Rothschild across the hall. "Hello girls," she calls. I walk into my house, embarrassed at how drab and messy it is. There are dirty dishes piled in the sink, blankets, and pillows piled onto the couch, crumbs on the island. I cringe and walk to my room. I pull on old light blue cutoff shorts and a black tank top, pulling a dark purple lightweight flannel over it. I pull on Nike knee highs, folding them several times and pulling on black Timberland boots, lacing them tightly. 

I pull my hair into two braids and pull on a black baseball hat. I grab my reins from my closet, throwing it into a duffel bag, along with a spray bottle of apple cider vinegar and water. I go to the mudroom and grab the reins for Kennedy's horse. I grab a curry brush, a rubber body brushes, a comb, several hoof picks, and a large comb. I go to the kitchen and grab scissors, throwing them into the bag. I see Kennedy with the boys, her blonde hair in a half-bun, black Ray-Bans on her face. 

Her leggings are dusty and her Timberlands are covered in mud. "I told you to get the black ones," I say, shrugging. "Wow- uh, I mean, that's a lot of stuff. All for the horses?" Jonah asks me. I nod and jog down the stairs. I wait by the elevator for Keddie and the boys. "Lazy," I tease, throwing the bag into the back and tying it down. We get back in, the same positions as before, and I hand my phone to Corbyn to use for directions. 

"You look nice," Daniel says, drawing circles on my bare thigh, giving me goosebumps. "I try." I shrug, wrinkling my nose. Before we leave I call my neighbor, David, and he comes down to take the doors and roof off the car. I whoop, craning my head back to look at the cloudless L.A skies.


	4. Chapter 4

"We here?" Corbyn asks. I look around, nodding. My heart beats faster with excitement. I hop out of the car, grab the duffel, and run to the stables. I drop the bag on the floor of the tack room, heading straight for the 3rd stall on the right. "Duck," I call, clicking my tongue softly, "Duck Duck." I smile as my beautiful black gelding whinnies and nudges my cheek with his wet nose. He snorts, the hot, hay-scented breath blows in my face. I wrinkle my nose and kiss his muzzle fondly. 

"Aw, Duckie." Kennedy coos, stroking his ear. She walks to the stall directly across from Duck's. "Prince. C'mere Princey-Poo." she coos. I hear a soft slap and look towards the entrance to see the boys smiling. "Sorry. Got a bit... excited." I blush. "Nah, it's fine. When do I meet him?" Daniel replies. "Come here." He walks up to me hesitantly. 

"Give me your hand," I ask. I take his hand and place it over his nose. Daniel jumps, jerking his hand away when Duck snorts. I giggle. "It's okay. Let him see you." I push Duck's head sideways so he's looking at Daniel. "See? He's a friend." I assure my horse. Daniel reaches up and pats his neck, a little shaky. Duck turns his head, and I see Daniel about to jump away. I hold him in place. 

"He likes your cologne. He wants to smell you." I reassure him. He stands still as Duck smells his hair and shoulders, before nudging his cheek. "He likes you!" I grin, pleased. He smiles and runs his hand along the horse's neck, dust flying up, making him sneeze. "Told ya Tanya didn't groom them," I call. 

I bring the other boys around to meet Duck. "We grew up together. He was born when I was 6, and I taught myself how to ride him. Prince is his brother." The guys take turns talking to him and petting him while I get Champion out, clipping the reins to the wooden posts on either side. I spray the vinegar-water solution over his mane and tail to keep the flies away while I groom him. I push the rubber curry brush into his coat, rubbing the dust off in circular motions.I grab a fine-toothed comb to brush the clumps of dirt out of his too-long-coat.

I grab the plastic wide-toothed comb and brush out his mane and tail, quickly twisting and braiding, securing the 'do with purple ribbons. I lean down and grab hold of his hock(back knee-joint) leaning heavily against his thigh to help him lift it. I take the hoof pick and scrape the dry mud caked between his shoes. I do the same to his three other hooves and stand. 

"Alright. Corbyn, do you know how to tack it?" I ask. "Might be a little rusty." "Ask if you need help with anything, kay? This is Champion by the way. He's really gentle. A real marshmallow. Zach, how about you?" "I can do it all." He bows and smirks. " 'Kay, you'll ride, hmmm.... Are you confident enough to ride a stallion?" I ask. "Absolutely. What's the difference?" "Um, stallions are not-yet-gelded." 

Noting his blank stare. "He hasn't been fixed yet." "Ahh. Will he be harder to ride?" "A bit. But you just need to make sure he knows that you're the one in charge. I can always help if you need it. BlueJeans is sweet. Just has a big ego." I lead him to the rust-colored stallion's stall. He takes him out and tacks up. I watch, impressed. 

"Go, Zachy." I tease. I look at Jonah. "You don't have much riding experience, so you can ride Potato. She's an older mare, very mellow, very sweet. She's kinda small, too, so if you fall you're not too high up." I lead Potato out of the last stall on the right and clip her up. "Kennedy? Can you help Jonah tack up Potato? I have to get Duck ready." I ask. She gives me a thumbs up and walks to Jonah. 

I lead Duck outside the stable and clip him to a wooden post since there isn't any room left in the stable. I grab the brushes and ribbons, brushing him down quickly. I hand Daniel the curry brush. "Brush his tummy. He loves that. I have to get the saddle, but I'll be right back." I pat his shoulder and jog to the tack room, grabbing my reins and the saddle, grabbing the saddle-pad and the bit. 

I bring it all out and drop it on the gravel. I twist his hair into braids, doing the same to his tail, and start tacking up. I push my thumb into his mouth to press it against his gum line, forcing him to open his mouth so I can put in the bit. He snorts, wiggling his mouth. "I know baby, I'm sorry," I whisper. I give the reins to Daniel to hold and unclip him. I stand on my tiptoes and throw the pad over his back. I put the saddle on, buckling around his ribcage, and his chest. I adjust the stirrups to fit my height. I take the reins from Daniel and smile.


	5. Chapter 5

"Okay. Put your foot in the stirrup, grab his neck, and swing your right leg over." He does it and gives me a shaky smile. "Good." I flip the reins over his neck and mount, sliding between Daniel's legs. I grab hold of the reins and turn my head to look at him. He's so adorable! I smile and lean backward, forcing him to wrap his arms around my waist to avoid falling. 

"Good. You did well." Kennedy and Jack come up behind me on Prince, with Zach, Corbyn, and Jonah close behind. "Ready? Don't be nervous, the horses know this trail like they know a bowl of candy corn." Kennedy says, taking the lead. I let the 3 boys follow and take the rear. 

Daniel's hands move down my waist to rest on my thighs, his fingers, callused from finger-picking guitar, rubbing shapes onto my skin. I blush, glad he can't see my face. I dig my heels in, and Duck picks up the pace. We ride through a curtain of vines to a trail. "You're so good with animals." He murmurs. "I love them." I love you. I think. 

I smile as we come up to a creek. "We'll get off here," I call. I pull on the reins, softly say "Whoa." and dismount. Daniel hops down next and I tie the reins on a low-hanging branch. I walk forward, dipping my fingertips in the water. I flick it at Daniel, who chuckles and runs at me, picking me up and pretending to throw me in. I squeal and giggle, breathless when he puts me down. I twirl, and bite my lip, narrowing my eyes at him and crooking my finger. I run and jump onto a thick, low hanging branch and pull myself higher. 

"Oh, you don't think I'll follow?" he smirks and jumps up after me. I yelp and scramble higher. He swings on a branch and grabs my ankle, pulling himself up to sit next to me. He leans into me, chuckling and looking somewhere in the distance. "Reagan, I... ah." he stammers, rubbing his neck nervously. 

"What's wrong?" I ask, confused. "Nothing. Nevermind." he shakes his head and begins to climb down. "Wait!" I shout. He looks up at me. "Please?" He sighs, climbs back up, and sits next to me, thinking. "What's wrong, love?" I ask, worried. "I... can't stop thinking about you," he admits. "Well, yeah, we've been hanging out all day. I've been thinking about you, too." "No. Rae, um. I don't know... damn. I-" 

"Yo, Daniel, Reagan! Lightning was spotted!" Jonah yells up. "Crap!" I curse, scrambling down, jumping into Jonah's arms. "Keddie, ask Tanya to move the Jeep into the garage!" I call, hopping onto Duck. "Jonah, get on with Zach or Corbyn, we need to canter to get back in time." I tie Potato's reins to Duck's and nestle into Daniel, leaning against his chest. "Come on, baby. Home, fast." I urge, digging my heels in. 

Duck takes off quickly, Daniel's hips rolling with each step. Rain drizzles down and I lean forward to take some weight off of his back. We clear the trees and I slow, stopping at the stables. I slide off and pull Duck into his stall to untack him. 

"We might have to stay here for the night." Daniel grimaces, holding up his phone, which is buzzing with a 'flood warning'. I shrug. "Guess you get to meet Aunt Tanya." I smile and rub Duck, petting the sweaty, matted hair that was stuck under the saddle. I bring everything into the tack room and turn on the radio, a mellow jazz station playing over the speakers we installed in every stall. 

"Music?" "So they don't get scared and wild during the storm." I walk into every stall, pulling the black curtains shut so they can't see the lightning. "They hate thunder," Kennedy adds. I turn on the old fashioned gas lamps dimly and turn the volume up louder. We all congregate by the doors, and I groan at the pouring rain. "Guys, run for the house, I'll be right there, it takes a minute to lock up the stable. Oh, and be careful, it's muddy." I say. Daniel squeezes my forearm and takes off after them.


	6. Chapter 6

I step outside, squinting, water dripping from my eyelashes. I hear shouts and turn to see them standing up, shaking the mud off, and laughing. I turn and push the deadbolt into place, turning the lock and sliding the key into my pocket. I take a deep breath, cross my fingers, and sprint, sliding in the mud. I fall onto my knees, mud splashing onto my shirt and splattering on my face. I scramble up and onto the wrap around porch and shake like a dog, flinging water off of me. I slide my shoes and socks off, walking inside and turning left to the mudroom. I see everyone there, stripping and putting their clothes in the washer. 

Aunt Tanya is looking at them, amused. "Tanya, really?" "You know the rules. You can all warm up in the bathrooms upstairs. Clothes, Reagan." "Yeah, Reagan." Daniel looks at me with glee. I groan and slide my shorts off, blushing. I'm still in the bra-and-panty set that Kennedy gave me. I rip off my shirt and throw them into the washer, sprinting up the stairs and slamming into the huge bathroom with the steam shower. I turn it on and tap my foot, waiting for it to warm up. 

"This is the awesomest bathroom I have ever seen." Jack declares, his curls matted to his forehead. Soon, the bathroom is filled with steam and I step into the shower, warm water hitting me from 3 directions. Daniel steps in with me, and Jonah lifts himself onto the counter. Zach and Corbyn go to the shower in Tanya's room and Jack goes with Kennedy to the one connecting our old bedrooms. He slides the glass door shut, grinning.

"What?" I blush when he grabs my hands. "Earlier, I was saying... um... Jonah? D'ya mind?" "No problem bro. Have fun." I hear a thud as he slides down and goes to join Zach and Corbyn. "Earlier..." I prompt. "Yeah, okay. Um. I wanted to tell you that I-" "Daniel!" Jack shouts. 

"FUCK!WHAT?" he yells back. Jack skids into the bathroom holding a box of TastyKake. "They got the goods," he whispers. I crack up, leaning into Daniel's chest, gripping his hips to hold myself up. "You haven't found our stash yet, have you?" I wiped a tear from my eye. "You have a stash?" "I have a stash." "Thanks. Bye!" he skids out of the bathroom, crashing into the wall. 

I giggle again, looking at Daniel. The look he's giving me... "What's wrong?" I asked, cupping his face. Which is not easy to do in a wet shower, when I have to stand on my tiptoes. "Should I?" he asks, pain and confliction in his eyes. "I don't want to ruin things." 

"What? Tell me! Or... do it..." I trail off, the hungry look in his eyes leaving me speechless. "I love you," he states. "Tell me I'm stupid, slap me, tell me I just fucked everything up, something!" he begs. Tears form in my eyes and I let go of him, bringing my hands to my face. I rub my cheeks indecisively, then look at him and nod. 

"Reagan." he gasps, bringing my arms around his neck and lifting me. I wrap my legs around his waist and bring my face to his, pressing my lips against his. I gasp, tangling my fingers in his hair as he rubs my thighs. I hear a knock on the door and sigh.


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey, sis, really happy for you, but Tanya's getting suspicious. She may be oblivious, but definitely not that much." Kennedy's voice echoes through the room. I groan, throwing my head back and sliding down his body. I open the shower door and step out, slipping a bathrobe on and tying it tightly. "Here, this was my dad's." I hand a blue one to Daniel and start to open the door. "Wait." he grabs my hand and pulls me to him, leaning down and capturing my mouth again. I stand on my tiptoes, pushing up to him, biting my lip when he pulls away and walks out. I inspect myself in the mirror and grin. 

My mismatched eyes are bright and wide, my cheeks flushed, and I have mud on my neck. Mud tips the ends of my hair and I brush it out. I lick my lips and skip downstairs, where the boys are shrugging on their clothes. "You gonna put yours on, guys?" Zach asks me. I shake my head. "We used to live here. Still do sometimes. I've got clothes upstairs. Be right back." I grab Keddie's hand and pull her upstairs to my room. 

"He loves me." I squeal, twirling happily. "And you?" "Yes!OH god yes. For a while." "Well, I'm really happy for you. I think Tanya gave up on keeping boys out of our rooms. Are we all going to stay downstairs?" "I built a sanctuary in the attic, remember?" I smile. I pull black cropped hoodie and low slung Nike sweatpants, pulling my socks up and folding them down. I pull a beanie over my knotted hair and run downstairs. 

"Hey, are you all about the same size? My dad has some PJ pants here if you wanna wear them." I offer, tossing the 5 of the different patterned flannel pants. "Follow me. We'll stay upstairs in the attic." I run upstairs, unlocking the door that leads to the attic. I run upstairs and hop onto my fuzzy bean bag chair. They come up, looking confused. 

"Yes, I was a bad child. Now come on! The generator's only gonna last so long." I pull a flashlight out of my toy chest and turn it on, shining it up at my face. "Boo," I whisper and the lights flicker. "I also have glow in the dark stickers on the ceiling," I mention casually. Daniel shimmies out of his jeans and slides on the red plaid pants, dropping next to me.

I lean into him, rolling my eyes at Kennedy, pretending to gag herself. The other boys switch their pants and find a place on the plush black rug, just in time for the lights to shut off completely. I squeal, reaching out blindly for the flashlight, giggling at the panicked scrambling I hear. I flick it on and they breathe a sigh of relief. 

I place candles around the attic, grabbing my lighter from under a fake cactus and light them. They laugh and I put my finger to my lips, shushing them. They quiet and a loud boom shakes the house. Kennedy shrieks and I laugh, falling to my knees and crossing my ankles. I bring down my old magician's top hat, filled with little strips of paper. "Truth or Dare... mystery!" I declare, jumping to grab the hatbox filled with the dares. "Here." Daniel squeezes past me and grabs it, putting it on the floor. 

"When we were younger and there were thunderstorms, we would always come up here. We didn't know what to do, so we decided to play truth or dare. As we got older, friends started coming over and writing questions and dares to put in the abyss of mystery. Now, it's your turn." I give each boy two strips of paper and a pen, shining the light so they can write. "Okay. Ready?" I ask after each strip was folded and put in the correct 'box'. "It's only fair that you go first since you suggested it," Kennedy says. The guys murmur their agreement.


	8. Chapter 8

"I gotta pick dare." I grin. I pull one out of the hat and open it, closing it quickly and squeezing my eyes shut. "Nope," I say. Daniel snatches it from me and reads it. "You had some dirty friends." he laughs. "Read it, what does it say?" "7 minutes of whatever the hell you want in the closet." I flush. "Well, go on. You've never backed down from a dare. And Daniel goes with you. I have to time you, though." Kennedy says. 

I sigh, groan, and go into the attached bathroom. I lean my forehead against the cool glass of the mirror and jump when Daniel's hands circle my waist. "Hey, hey, it's cool. We can press play," he says softly, lifting me onto the counter. I run my hands through his hair and gasp when his lips meet my neck, his teeth grazing my pulse point. 

"I'm so glad I grew the balls to tell you." he groans, sliding his hands up my back, caressing my spine. I plant kisses along his jaw, pushing my hands along the muscles of his stomach. "Reagan." he softly moans, and there's a soft tap on the door. "Go away," I call. "Nope. 7 minutes is over." 

I groan and kiss him one more time, grabbing his hand and pulling him out. "My turn. Oh, by the way, we all have to answer the truth. Therefore, I choose truth." Kennedy fishes a slip of paper out of the hatbox and opens it, clearing her throat dramatically. "Where is your favorite place to be kissed. Hayley wrote this one. It's her handwriting," she snickers, "Me, um. My face, I guess." Everyone looks at me. "Shoulders." I shrug. "Neck." Daniel blushes, and I bite my lip, stifling a grin. "Chest," says Corbyn. Zach ducks his head, "My jaw." Jack smiles and points to his nose. Jonah grins. "I like people to kiss my mouth."

Jack pulls a truth slip out and opens it. "Ooh. Your friends are strange. What are your kinks? I like belly rubs." "Pass." Corbyn blushes. "Not applicable. I don't have any that I'm aware of." "I like lips." Zach whispers. "I like neck kisses," Kennedy says. "I like when they touch my hair." Daniel blushes. They all look at me expectantly. "Ugh. Fine. Biting." I blush bright red and twist my hands in my lap. 

Daniel pulls a slip from the dare hat and opens it. He laughs, rolls onto his side, and gently bites my neck. I go still, my face heating. He shows me the paper. 'Bite person to your left' it reads. Zach pulls a strip from the hat and reads, standing and dropping it. "Let it go, let it go, can't hold it back anymore!" He sings loudly, swaying his hips. I laugh, remembering when I put that in there. Jonah picks up truth and reads it.

"What are you most insecure about." "My laugh," Kennedy says. "Eyes." I look down. "Why? Your eyes are so cool. My clothes." Jack protests. "My nose," Zach says. "I get nervous when I try to be funny, so I guess my humor?" Corbyn shrugs. "My hands," Daniel says. I roll my eyes. "Hm. The way I walk." Jonah says, folding it again and putting it on the floor. Corbyn chooses a dare and takes out his phone. 

"My last sent text was to... Jonah. This morning. I was reminding him about your kickboxing thingy." I rummage my hand in the dare pile and select one carefully, peeking at the words scribbled. "Eat whipped cream from someone's mouth. Really, Keddie?" I roll my eyes, running downstairs and grabbing the Reddi Whip from the fridge. I go upstairs and straddle Daniel's lap, who braces himself. 

I push his head back and squirt a large dollop of the whipped cream into his open mouth before quickly slurping it out. I swipe my hair out of my eyes and roll off of him, squirting some into my mouth and wiping some off of the corner of his mouth. "Damn," he mutters, shocked. I shrug and gesture for her to grab one. She picks truth and asks, "Would you ever have sex with your boss?" Everyone says, "No." in unison. I pretend to debate and say, "Sure. I'm my own boss, though." 

She shakes her head and Daniel chooses a dare. He looks and stands, going into the bathroom. After a minute, I get a text from him. 'Send a sexy pic to someone' it's captioned, under it a mirror picture of him, shirtless, and I flush. He comes out. "What was it?" Jack asks. "He did it," I say softly, my face still hot. 

"What childhood nickname did you have?" Zach asks, folding the slip in half. Kennedy points at me and snorts, "Oregano!" she snickers. I smile, shaking my head. "Neddie. At least yours was cute." "Danny." "Zachy Wacky." "Jonah Bug." "Jack.No nickname." "Corby Worby." "Celebrity crush." "Ryan Reynolds." I blurt, grinning. "Oh, god. She's in love with him. Observe." Kennedy pulls out her phone, tapping the screen a few times and handing it to me. I look down, grinning at the shirtless picture of him. "Oh, god." 

I groan, biting my lip. "Ahem." Daniel clears his throat. "Shh. I'm busy." I hold up my finger. They all laugh. Kennedy takes the phone away and I protest. "You have a mans right there." she nods towards Daniel. I sigh and scoot back, hugging my knees. "I truly believe that Joe Jonas will be my husband in my next life." Kennedy shrugs. The boys say theirs, and Jack pulls up a dare. He chugs a can of Coke, holds up a finger, and burps loudly.

"Nice." I applaud, impressed. "First kiss?" Jonah asks, shrugging. "8th grade," I state. "6th." Kennedy challenges me. "3rd." Zach laughs, and I giggle. I look at Daniel. "6th." "9th." "7th."


	9. Chapter 9

"Favorite position- guys why-" "We were teenage girls sneaking boys into our attic. What do you expect?" Kennedy laughs. "Um... I really don't know. Maybe... damn. Can I pass?" I ask. Everyone murmurs their agreement. I grab a dare and look at it. 

'Give a hickey' it says. I grab Daniel's hand and pull him into the bathroom, sitting him down on the toilet seat. I straddle his legs, bringing my mouth to his neck and start kissing, biting, and sucking. He groans low in his throat and leans his head back. "What-?" "The dare was to give a hickey. Well, my pleasure." I continue, stopping only when he pushes against my stomach. 

"Please. Not here." he pleads, the look in his eyes enough to set my blood on fire. I nod, and get down. Before I open the door, he pulls me to him, kissing me softly, sweetly. I smile happily and we go back out. They're sitting around on the floor, bowls of candy, popcorn, and chips spread throughout the room. I plop onto the soft run, running my fingers through the strings. "Are we done playing?" I ask. They nod and Keddie tosses a piece of popcorn into Jack's open mouth. "So..." I prompt. "Oh, I was thinking we could kick you out and I show the guys embarrassing pictures of you." 

"And now I'm thinking: Hell no." I scoff. "Fine. Can I kick you out anyway?" "No." "Ugh. What if I kick Daniel out, too?" "I'll answer that," Daniel interjects, "We will be going now." He scoops me up and carries me downstairs, looking around. "I just realized that I have no idea which one is yours," he admits sheepishly. I get down and pat his chest, walking toward my old room. I walk in, cringing at the farmhouse-style furnishings. 

"Wow. This is not at all what I imagined." "Shush." I purse my lips and cross my arms as he walks around. He picks up a picture of me and Kennedy as babies, playing in the Malibu sand, and smiles. "Aw. Baby Reagan." "No fair. I don't get to see baby Daniel!" I pout. He pulls something up on his phone and hands it to me. I look at it, seeing him as a toddler, his hair a sandy blonde and sticking up, dimples in his little chubby cheeks. 

"Aww. Oh my goodness... You were adorable!" I move to kiss his cheek, stumbling when he moves out of the way. He pretends to glare at me. "Were?" he growls, a smile twitching the corners of his mouth. "Were. It's not right to call a toddler hot. Or sexy. I mean, you still are adorable, baby face!"

I boop his nose and twirl away. He catches my arm and pulls me to him. "Hot, huh? And sexy? What else do you think of me?" he whispers, nose to nose with me. "Well," I start, pushing him back onto my bed and crawling up to him, "I think you're kind, loving, strong," I continue, accentuating each word with a kiss, trailing up his neck to his jaw, "Unique, talented, and mine. All fucking mine." I whisper, kissing his earlobe.

His breathing is shallow and he closes his eyes. "Reagan, what the hell are you doing to me?" he breathes, pushing his thumbs tenderly into my hips. I lower my body so I'm sitting on his lap and my fingers are buried in his hair. He slides his hands down and up my thighs, looking at me with fire in his eyes. "Reag-" he starts, but I cut him off with a kiss. I hear him moan deep in his throat. 

"How the hell did I get so lucky." he murmurs as I kiss down his neck. "Lucky? Baby, I'm the lucky one. Do you comprehend how many girls are fantasizing about you right now?" I say, pressing a kiss behind his ear. "Oh, god." he grabs my hips and flips, placing himself on top of me and pressing down, the pressure just enough for me. 

He tangles his fingers in my curls, tugging me gently towards him. A small red circle on his neck catches my eye. I trace it with a fingernail, loving how he shudders at my touch. "Dare, completed," I whisper, arching up, meeting his lips. A loud knock makes me jump, bumping foreheads with him.


	10. Chapter 10

"What?" I call, annoyed."Reagan, are you busy?" Tanya calls. I groan. "Yes. Do you need anything?" "Sure. Sweetie, could you come to fold the laundry? I have to run an errand." "Tanya, the roads are flooded. You can't go anywhere." I slip out from under Daniel and adjust my shirt, slipping out the door. She smiles. "Do you like him?" "Really? Yes, Tanya, I more than like him." "Tell him to wear his raincoat. I stashed some in the bathroom under the sink. You don't think I didn't notice the boys slipping in and out all those years?" she winks and goes back downstairs. 

I walk back in the room stiffly, sliding the bathroom door open and looking under the sink. I groan, and Daniel crouches next to me to see what happened. I look at the wicker basket full of condoms and some toys. I rub my eyes, blushing. 

"She is so much more perceptive than I ever gave her credit for." I groan. "Hey, does that count as permission?" "She killed the mood, Daniel." "How about I bring it back to life," he smirks. I snorted. "Yeah. Good luck with that." He stands, pulling his shirt over his head, stretching his back. "Join me... if you dare." he waggled his eyebrows and backs into the room. Curiosity gets the better of me. 

I stand, slowly peeking into the room, where Daniel is laying on the bed in only black boxer briefs, his arms crossed behind his head. A flutter starts in my stomach, getting more intense the closer to him I get. I kneel on the bed next to him, inhaling sharply when he closes his eyes, a small smile on his lips. 

I hover my hand over his stomach, wishing I could stop trembling. Slowly, I press my palm onto his belly, biting my lip when his muscles tense. I crawl closer, a look of agony taking over his features. I swing my leg over his hip, gently lowering myself onto him when my phone rings loudly. I growl with frustration, yelling, "WHAT?" Kennedy's voice squeaks, "How was it?" "Interrupted. Don't interrupt again, please." 

I hang up and throw the phone across the room. "Fuck it," I growl, kissing Daniel roughly, pulling his head up to me, gripping his hair. He gasps with shock. "Wait, no fair." he breathes, tugging at my hoodie. I sit up and pull it off, my lace racerback bralette having no padding. "Damn." he groans, leaning back.

"So, am I going to be the only one in my underwear?" he laughs. I roll off him and stand, pulling my socks off one at a time, maintaining eye contact. I slide my thumbs under the elastic and push, the fabric hitting the floor softly. He's sitting up, on the edge of the bed, eyes wide and hungry. I blush, wanting to cover up, but instead, I opt to push him back down. My hair falls, curtaining us as my mouth moves against his, our tongues dancing. 

He pulls away and kisses my collarbone, moving up to my neck and the hollow of my throat. I bite my lip to stifle a moan and run my fingernails along his chest. He bites gently, and I gasp, ready to lose control. "Wait." He breathes, pulling away for a minute and pulling a strip of paper from the floor. "Kennedy wrote me one last dare," he opens it and grins, the smile spreading lazily across his face, a dimple appearing in his left cheek. 

"What?" "Oh, that'll be fun." he licks his lips and flips me under him, pulling my legs up and nestling between them. My heart races as my anxiety kicks in. "Hey. Do you trust me?" he asks, capturing my chin in his hand. I nod, wondering what the hell is about to happen. He rubs shapes onto my thighs, moving up slowly, and kissing my neck. 

His thumb brushes the lace of my panties and I tremble, closing my eyes tight. "I love you," he whispers as he pulls the thin chiffon panties down my legs. I arch slightly to help him, breathing in, out. Nose, mouth. I feel his calloused fingers on my stomach, and one on my cheek. "Trust me." he murmurs in my ear. His lips move to mine, and my heart explodes. 

Or at least, it feels like it, it's beating so hard. A hand caresses my neck while the other moves down... down... Oh, sweet cheese! I grip his hair, stiffening and loosening all at once. "Oh, sweet Jesus." I gasp against his mouth, writhing under his touch. "God is good." he murmurs his agreement, smiling against my mouth.

I whip my head to the side, eyes shut tight, then press my face into his shoulder, my cries muffled. I feel my body tremble as I feel feelings no one has ever made me feel before. I feel one of his hands on the back of my neck, tangling with the hair at the nape of my neck, as the other one... does unspeakable things to my body. I cry out, shiver, and still as he slows. "Dare completed." he smiles proudly, handing me the strip of paper, which I take with impossibly shaky hands. 'Hands-only' it says.


	11. Chapter 11

I let my head drop back onto the pillow, a tear running down my face. I wipe it away, confused. "How... No one has ever made me feel like that before," I stare at him in wonder. "What can I say... I'm skilled with my hands. After all, I can play nine different instruments, remember?" "How could I forget?" I laugh, holding his hand, looking down at our entwined fingers, smiling shyly. 

"Oh, now you're shy?" he teases. "I feel... extremely inadequate." I say softly, another tear falling, dropping onto his leg."What? Why?" I shake my head, leaning my forehead against his chest. "You are enough. You are more than enough. Don't ever feel inadequate." "I'm so... inexperienced!" I sob. 

"Hey, hey. Don't cry." he kisses my temple. I sniffle and laugh ironically. "Now I've ruined the mood. God, I hate hormones!" I shake my head, pushing my hair out of my face. "I... should get a shower." I stand on shaky legs and stagger to the bathroom, staring at myself in the mirror. I slip off my bra and step into the shower, slipping on the slick tile. I bang my elbow on the wall and curse loudly. 

"You okay?" Daniel knocks, worry in his voice. "Yeah!" I call back hoarsely. I scrub my body clean, wiping my face off, and shampooing my hair. I rinse and pat myself dry with a towel. I walk out, Daniel on the bed, biting his thumb. He doesn't even notice me slipping on his T-shirt and a pair of purple boyshorts. I tie my hair into a loose messy bun and slip into bed, pulling him down next to me and pulling his arm around my middle, arching my body into his. I take his hand and kiss his palm. "I love you," I say softly. 

"Love you." he kisses the back of my neck and snuggles closer, pulling me to him, his warmth enveloping me. I sigh, happily drifting into a peaceful sleep. I wake up with the sunlight shining brightly through my yellow curtains, facing Daniel. His blonde hair is messy, his cheek red, a dark bruise on his neck. I kiss the bruise, tangling my limbs with his and, putting my head in the hollow of his throat, drift back to sleep. 

I wake up again to Kennedy shaking me awake. "Hmm?" I murmur groggily. "Wake up. I've gotta talk to you," she whispers. I carefully slide out from under his arm and follow her into her bedroom, where Jack is asleep on her bed, Zach under his arm, Corbyn asleep in the bay window, and Jonah is sitting on the edge of her bed, looking at his phone. "So? Was it everything you ever dreamed?" she asks. "And so much more. But... I don't know how to retaliate." I mutter. 

"Easy. Follow me to the bathroom." She grabs something from her top drawer discreetly and shuffles to the bathroom, shutting and locking the door. She pulls out a... oh god... silicone... um, you know. She suctions it to the shower door and I cover my face, embarrassed. "No. I'm not doing this." "Okay. Have fun winging it." she shrugs, popping it off and tossing it in the cabinet. "Wait, can you just give me tips?" I beg. 

"Alright. Remember this. Eye contact as you're going down, soft touching, run your nails along his thighs, don't talk, don't ruin the mood by crying, go as deep as possible. If you can't go deep then imagine you're eating a popsicle. Keep your hair loose, flipping it as you adjust your position, don't try to do any foreplay, kiss his stomach to let him know you're about to do it. And please, don't be nervous. Confidence is sexy." she pats my shoulder and unlocks the door, pushing me out. 

When I walk back into my room, Daniel is propped up, his arm shielding his face, a smile on his face. "What?" I ask, crawling back in bed. "Last night was fun." he looks at me, a dimple forming. I blush and sit Indian-style on the bed, twisting my hands in my lap. He pulls the covers off of himself, standing and stretching. Tanya comes upstairs and knocks.


	12. Chapter 12

"Sweetie, you should stay here with your friends for a while. You haven't stayed over in forever!" Tanya calls.

I groan and roll my eyes. "Thank you. I'm going to call a friend to get our things ready. We actually have a puppy; is it alright if he comes over?" Daniel calls. "Of course, sweetie. Rae, darling, text Eliza the address, and I'll send her over." I pull out my phone and text my aunt's best friend the address and make sure to thank her. Daniel calls his friend, hanging up and turning on his heel to look at me. 

"Well," he smiles, chuckling. "Oh!" I burst into Kennedy's room. "The barn! Tanya renovated it for me to live in during college!" I grin. "Cool! The guys can stay there." she smiles widely. I go to my room and open my drawers, looking for clothes I'll actually wear. I pull out acid-washed overall shorts and a cropped white Why Don't We hoodie. I pull on Nike crew socks and french braid my hair, ending in two pigtails. I sit at my vanity and swipe on mascara, lengthening my already long lashes, blinking, my weird eyes, one light brown, the other green.

I slide my glasses on and stand, patting my thighs perkily. "Well, guys." I smile, hearing a knock on my door. "Sweetie, tell your friends their things are here." I open the door and run downstairs, seeing a bunch of suitcases and instrument cases by the front door. "We'll put your music in the attic since we'll probably hang up there a lot," I say, slinging the guitar case onto my back and picking up two suitcases. 

"You got it?" Daniel runs to help me and I shake my head. "Kickboxing gave me strength. Go get the other things." I drag them upstairs, dropping them by the attic stairs. When everyone else brings their things up, I hold up a finger to stop them. "Check to see what belongs to who, and I'll tell you where to bring them." The sound of zippers fills the hallway, murmurs of acknowledgment soon after. 

"Daniel, bring your things to my room. Jack, you're with Kennedy, and the three of you can decide where you want to be. We do have a barn outback furnished and all the plumbing works. I think we have a guest room, but I don't know if the sheets are clean. 

"Can I have my own room?" Corbyn asks. I shrug. "Talk it out." I go to my room to see Daniel folding his clothes and placing them next to mine. His guitar is propped in the corner, the case unzipped. I blow a thin layer of dust off the top of my dresser, grimacing. My socked feet slip on the rosewood flooring, and I lurch forward, slamming into Daniel and knocking him to the floor with me. He laughs loudly, his arm snaking around my waist, pulling me closer.

I jump when I hear a soft knock on my door frame. "Get a room," Kennedy teases. "We have one, go to yours." I tease back. She winks at me and I freeze. She shuts the door, and I pull on a lock of his hair and smile, bringing his face close to mine and pecking his lips gently. We should probably check on the other guys, right?" I ask, biting my lip nervously. I bounce up and skid into the hallway, running down the stairs and shoving my feet in the galoshes by the front door, jogging around the back of the house, and opening the door to the barn-turned-apartment. "You guys good?" I call, letting the door swing shut when I hear them confirm.


	13. Chapter 13

I turn and squish my way through the mud, looking around when I hear a high pitched bark. Tucker runs at me, mud coating his soft fur, and he jumps, wiping his muddy paws on my thighs. I squeal and push him down. "Daniel!Jack!Jonah!Corbyn!Zach!SOMEONE!! Help!" I shout, and they all come running out. I huff, still trying to push him down. 

They all just laugh, looking at me with amusement. I glare at them, yelping when a glob of mud hits my back. I turn, glaring at Kennedy and scooping up a ball of mud. I run, sliding in the mud, and shove it down the back of her shirt. She bats me away, laughing and wrestles me to the ground, shoving my head into the mud. I push up and flip so I'm on top of her and grin triumphantly. 

"No, you didn't win." Daniel grabs me and pulls me off of her, taking me down to the mud with him. I laugh and push at his cheek, rubbing mud in his hair. I hear a loud whistle and look towards the front porch, where Tanya is standing, hands on her hips. "You are not coming into the house like that. You can either rinse off in the lake, with the hose, or I'll bring out your bathing suits and you can continue to play."

"Can I have my bathing suit?" I call, "I must be the winner!" I cackle dramatically, standing and shaking the mud off of me. Tanya disappears into the house and comes back a few minutes later holding our bathing suits. She tosses me my one-piece from swim team in high school and I jog behind the trees to change. I strip quickly and pull it on, snapping the thick straps against my shoulder. 

I take out my hair and tightly tie it into a bun, taking off the boots and leaving them by the overturned canoe. I jog back out to the boys, who are now wearing Dad's old trunks, and Kennedy runs into the trees, coming out in her two-piece halter top-and-boy short combo and jumping onto Jack's back, shoving him down into the mud. I pick up a ball and fling it, slipping and falling onto my back, and everyone (including me) cracks up, dying. I try to stand, but my feet keep slipping in the squishy brown sludge. 

I giggle and stand, grabbing Corbyn's arm for support and slip my way around back and to the lake. I wade into the chilly water up to my knees, shivering and bracing myself for the cold. I squeeze my eyes shut and sink under the water, popping up quickly and gasping. "You're insane, sister! The water has to be freezing!" Kennedy laughs. 

"Eh. It's probably about 62 degrees today. I've swum in 46-degree water at swim meets! This is nothing. Join me... if you dare!" I grin, teeth chattering. "Once we get moving around it won't be as cold, will it?" Zach asks, unsure. I nod. "Sure." Slowly, he inches into the water, yelping as the cold moves up his legs, soaking his trunks. 

He shouts in surprise when I pull him in further, pushing him under the water. "D-do you h-have a h-hot tub, by a-any c-chance?" he stammers. I shake my head, laughing and backstroking to the middle of the lake. "Nope." I climb up onto the floating dock and lay on my back, letting the sun heat my skin. 

"Crap, Casper, you'll get burned!" Kennedy shouts, turning and running back to the house, coming back 10 minutes later with a tube of sunscreen. She rubs some on herself and the boys before swimming out to meet me at the dock, teeth chattering. She hands it to me, goes under, her pale blonde hair floating around her as she swims back to the shore. I stand, fix my hair, and run the lotion on me, stretching to reach my back.

I bring my arm back and throw it back to her, giggling when it lands in the bushes. I sit, lay back down, and close my eyes, day-dreaming about the future.


	14. Chapter 14

The world created in my brain is beautiful. I have a gorgeous stone farmhouse on a large property, much like Tanya's. My hair is long, reaching my lower back, the curls smooth and glossy, not frizzy at all. Of course, it's still lilac! I walk into the house, walking past my beautiful, shining black Volkswagon Turbo, and see my beautiful baby girl, held by my beautiful husband. "Hey, babe. How was work?" Daniel asks, his blonde hair messily perfect. Little Ailey Jean Seavey coos, grabbing onto my finger tightly. 

"It was amazing! I taught a class on self-defense to people with PTSD, and it was very rewarding." I kiss his cheek and walk past him into my living room, the white marble fireplace gated so the kids don't get into it. The TV is on with my son, Evan Joseph, on the couch with a bowl of Cheetos. 

"Hi baby," I call, picking him up and swinging him around when he runs to me. Our dog, Angel, yaps softly, pushing his nose into my hand. I pet his sleek silver coat, petting the blue-nosed pitbull's large head. Our other dog, Riley, a Rottweiler puppy, jumps up onto my legs, sniffing and licking me all at once. I look through the French doors leading to our back patio, where Kennedy and the boys are sitting around a table, playing a card game. My niece, Amalia Lynn, runs to me, tugging on my shirt and pointing outside. "Can I go see Mommy, Auntie Rae?" she asks. "Not right now, sweetie," I say, ruffling her chin-length, curly strawberry-blonde hair and adjusting Even on my hip.

I walk upstairs, pushing a couple of toys aside with my foot, walking into my oldest son's room. "Carter, I'm going to need you to watch Evan for a little bit so I can talk to Aunt Keddie. Can you do that for me?" "Sure, Mama," he says, not even looking up from his phone. "You need to play with him and keep him busy. Thanks. Love you." I kiss his head. Carter has heterochromia, one eye brown, and the other one green inherited from me. He has Daniel's nose and brown hair. I go downstairs and grab Ailey from Daniel, cradling her to my chest and looking into her bright blue eyes. I can't tell, but I think she'll be a pale blonde, like me. 

She smiles, gurgling, and tugging on a piece of my hair. I open the doors and step outside, my simple wedding ring glinting in the light. The thin platinum band is encrusted with small diamonds, the main diamond princess-cut. It was the perfect proposal! Kennedy was watching my kids while Daniel and I went trail-riding, me on Duck and him on his own horse, Lincoln. We dismounted at the waterfall and had a simple picnic. 

Then, as the sun was setting, he told me how much he loved me, kneeled, and presented me with the ring. I cried. No, wait. Sobbed. I was so happy! Then, we had the kids, Carter a few months after the wedding, Evan 2 years after Carter, and Ailey, about 2 months ago. My life is perfect. 

Until... I'm yanked out of the daydream by water splashing onto my face. I sit up, pulled to the present, sputtering in protest. Jonah is swimming away quickly, a plastic bucket attached to his wrist. I stand, dive into the water and go after him, following him onto the sandy shore and tackling him, sand sticking to both of us. 

I laugh loudly, pieces of hair falling into my face. I wade back into the water and swim laps around the platform, swimming to the other side of the lake, being careful not to be noticed. Our neighbor doesn't enjoy trespassers. "Hey!" I hear an old voice crack. I shriek and dive back into the lake, freestyling to the platform and sitting, breathing heavy. "Rae, you ready to go back?" Kennedy calls, cupping her hands around her mouth like a megaphone. 

I nod and dive, swimming up and taking my hair out of the bun. I wring it out as we walk, and grab my clothes from their spot beside the canoe. When we clear the trees I'm able to see Tanya setting up food on the back patio's table, folding chairs set up. I step carefully through the mud, which has thankfully hardened while we were at the lake.


	15. Chapter 15

I catch the towel Tanya throws to me and wrap it around my body, rubbing myself dry and plopping my chair. I reach out to grab a slice of watermelon, but Tanya smacks my hand away. "No! When everyone is ready, we'll pray, and then you can eat." I groan impatiently as everyone dries off and sits. "Okay, so, in our family, we pray before we eat. Does anyone want to say anything before I start? Anything anyone wants to add?" she says, eyeing Daniel. "Just that I'm really happy that we're stuck here, as opposed to being stuck in the Beverly Hills house. I would go stir crazy." Jonah says, and everyone murmurs their agreement. 

"Okay, now, link hands," she grabs my and Kennedy's hand, and Daniel laces his fingers with mine, grabbing Corbyn's roughly and squeezing tightly. I giggle nervously. I really hope Tanya doesn't embarrass me! "Lord, we thank you for ensuring our health and thank you for bringing us together, so that friends could be with friends. Thank you for this meal, and for happiness, I'm sure each one of us feels. And, Jesus, thank you for bringing my girls back to me." 

I roll my eyes, blowing a strand of hair out of my face. "Now?" I demand, grinning when she nods and grabbing a slice of watermelon, biting into it and letting the juice drip down my chin. I groan, rolling my eyes back and fluttering my eyelids. "Is it good?" Daniel laughs, and I nod. I grab another slice and shove it at him. He opens his mouth and takes a bite, the juice dripping down his chin, too, and he groans. 

"Told you!" I shove the rest into my mouth and grab another one. When I'm done with that Tanya says, "Slow down on the watermelon, love! We have other food here, too!" I glare at her, grabbing another slice and biting into it slowly. Everyone laughs when Tanya snorts. I stand and go around to the other side of the table and grab a hot dog, shoving it into my mouth hungrily, chewing quickly and pouring myself a glass of pink lemonade. 

I gulp it down. "Geez, how are you that hungry?" Tanya wonders. "I swam several laps-ah- across the lake." "Why? You haven't done that since Junior year!" I nod, shrugging. "Felt good to swim again," I look at Daniel, at his half-eaten cheeseburger, "Are you gonna..." I trail off, pointing. He laughs and pushes his plate towards me. "Guys, this is what I dealt with for 6 years! She would eat the house if it were made of food." Kennedy giggles. 

She tilts her head, motioning for me to follow her. I stand, excusing myself, and follow her to the boathouse. She opens the door and shuts it behind me. "I think I like Jack," she starts, gnawing on her thumb nervously, "But I don't know if he likes me back. And even if he does, what do I do?" "You? Unsure? Wow, never thought I'd see the day. Well, just get to know him really well. We've been friends for a long time now, but he's never seen you as you've been for the past few days, so it's highly possible that he's caught some feelings. I mean, look at Daniel and me? Granted, Jack introduced us 4 years ago, but still." I grin and pull her out, seeing Jack walking down the path towards us.

"You okay? You've been gone for a while." I nod and skip back up the path, kiss Daniel's head, and head to the house. I run up the stairs and into my room, yanking my brush through my hair and pulling it into a messy bun. I grab my cutoff shorts from my drawer, slip off my bathing suit and slide on the shorts, and a black sports bra. I throw a white translucent Why Don't We crop top over it, slide on my Vans, and jog back downstairs, running straight into Jonah.


	16. Chapter 16

Everyone looks at me, hella confused. "Didn't I promise you could teach me how to skateboard?" I tease and laugh when Jack's face lights up. "Oh my gosh YES!" he fist pumps the air, running upstairs to change out of the wet bathing suit. Daniel shakes his head and follows him upstairs, Corbyn following. Jonah and Zach head to the barn, and I plop on the couch, staring as Tanya dances her way to me. 

"He's got it bad for you!" she sings. "What? Pshh, Nah." I shrug her off as she scoots close to me. "You have it bad for him, too. I can see it when you two are even in the same room. You gravitate towards each other, the other being your only gravitational pull to keep you grounded." she whispers, grabbing my hand. "This boy better not break your heart or I'll feed him to Mr. Crenshaw." (the neighbor) I laugh, pat her hand, and stand as everyone files onto the front porch, the boys carrying their 'boards. 

I jog down the driveway, leading them to the road that runs from Tanya's house to the highway. I spin on my heel, take a deep breath, and smile. "Alright. So, here's what you gotta do," Jack says, kicking his skateboard to me, "Get on, get stable," I step on, wobbling and biting my lip in concentration. A hand gently touches my lower back, and I flinch, falling off. Luckily, I land on my feet. "Damn, sorry," Jack says, backing away. I shake off the embarrassment and step on again, bracing myself for his hand. 

"Try to stay balance, put one foot on the ground, and push off." I do that, going about 4 feet before hitting a stick and flying forward. I land on the asphalt, the gravel scraping my knee. "Oh, god, are you okay?" They run to me, confused when they see me laughing. "Oh, my god. I suck at this!" I wipe a drop of blood off of my knee and stand, getting back on. "Okay, how do I steer?" I put my arms out straight for balance, sticking my tongue out in frustration.

"Kinda put move the weight from the center of the board, where you're standing and distribute it to the front side of the board, leaning toward where you want to go." I push off, leaning forward(left) and wobble before I regain balance, pushing off again, and falling, this time scraping my elbows. Daniel runs to me, the soles of his Vans slapping the pavement. 

He reaches out and pulls me up. "You did really, really good. Um, do you want to try again?" I nod, stand, and attempt to skate back, falling a few more times. We must be out there for 3 hours, skating back and forth, as I try to master this art. "Ya know what? I should stick to biking." I giggle, watching Kennedy do some cool tricks with Corbyn. "Yeah, you really should," she says, grinning. I roll my eyes and jog back home, grabbing my bike from the boathouse. 

"Do you guys want to go to the beach? We can ride the boardwalk." I suggest, hearing enthusiastic yeses from all of them. "Right, let's go! Wait, we should take the car." "Then you'll have to sit on me again," Daniel nudges my shoulder. "And you have a problem with that?" I raise an eyebrow, smirking. "No, not at all." I laugh and get on my bike, pedaling quickly to my car, putting the bike on the bike rack. The boys arrive and throw their skateboards in the storage unit, and get in the car. I plop myself onto Daniel's lap and wrap my arms around his neck.


	17. Chapter 17

Corbyn starts the car, the engine turning several times before (finally) starting. Daniel wraps his arms tightly around my waist, his thumbs rubbing my stomach. Corbyn drives the 20 minutes it takes to get to Santa Monica, and we jump out. I grab the bike and wheel it to the boardwalk. I put the bike lock in my bag, along with my phone, a charger, and my wallet.

I swing my leg over my seat, standing on my tiptoes to stay balanced. "Come on!" I grin, pedaling, standing, letting the wheels bump over the uneven wooden boardwalk. I hear shouts as they follow me. Kennedy jogs behind us, taking a video as she moves, sidestepping people. I speed up, maneuvering my way through a crowd of people, grinning. I slow to a stop, letting them catch up. Daniel's hair is swept up and sideways from the wind. I listen to the faint music playing from the Pacific Pier. 

"You can't go that fast!" Jack grins, kicking his board up into his hand. I take out my bike lock and lock it to a wooden pole, taking out my phone and sliding my bag back over my shoulder. "Let's go!" I grin, grabbing his hand and pulling him with me. "I'll see you guys later!" Daniel calls as I drag him with me. 

"Ohmygoodness. Did you know I've never been here? Lived in L.A. my whole life, but never came to this beach?" I ramble, taking in the sights... the smells... the noise. I spot a balloon pop booth. "I'm gonna win you a stuffy," I claim, pulling him to the station and handing the tender a $5 bill. He hands me 5 darts, and I aim, closing an eye and sticking my tongue out. I aim... and throw, popping the purple balloon. 

I squeal and turn to face Daniel, who's recording me. I gasp, pushing the camera away. "I can't help it that the camera loves you. You're gorgeous." he shrugs. I narrow my eyes and aim again, and miss. I pout playfully, aiming, and throwing. In all, I pop 3 out of 5 balloons and the man hands me a medium-sized stuffed lion. I hand it to him proudly, flushed with excitement. "Again!" I clap, running to a skeeball machine. 

I put a dollar in and grab the rough brown ball. I swing my arm back and it flies right into the 1000 hole. I smile and bow dramatically. "No autographs, please!" I say to a pretend audience of stuffed dogs. I roll 5 more times, hitting 1000 two more times, 50 the rest. Now the man hands me a small stuffed dog. 

I kiss the nose, hand it to Daniel, then kiss his nose. I giggle, pulling him in line for the bumper cars. "Are we riding together?" he asks, leaning against a cement pole. "Hell no! You're going down, Seavey!" I jump, bouncing on my toes. I go up the line, hand the man 10 dollars and pull Daniel onto the floor with me. I get in a purple car, pink flames painted on the sides. He sits in a green one, a skull painted on the hood. I narrow my eyes, stifling a smile, and pull the black bar down. The lights flash and I slam my foot on the gas, racing around the track, bumping through people to get to Daniel. When I get to him, he bumps me first, and I lurch forward, laughing. A piece of hair falls out of my bun and gets stuck to my lips. 

The buzzer sounds, my car slowing to a stop. I step out, swaying and grabbing Daniel's arm. "Oh my god, that was more fun than I imagined!" I declare. "I want to do that, next." I point to something going up and dropping down in a matter of seconds. "Sure." He leads me to the short line.

I pay for our rides and shove my backpack into a cubby, taking off my shoes and running to plop into the blue seat. Daniel sits in the one next to me and pulls down the black safety bar, and I do the same. I gulp as we start to move higher. Blindly, I reach for Daniel's hand, grabbing it tightly, then looking in awe at the view of the beach.


	18. Chapter 18

Suddenly, we drop, and the air rushes out from my lungs as I shriek in surprise. On the way back up, I laugh, just feeling and living in the moment. Daniel's hand in mine, a smile on my face, his love in my heart. Life is pretty perfect right now. We drop again, another shout rushes out of me. Repeat about 15 times and that's the ride. When we drop slowly to the ground, I catch my breath, my curly, frizzy hair wild around my face. The ponytail must have come loose. The bars lift and I laugh, kissing Daniel softly before walking away to the Wheel. 

He looks over the horizon at the setting sun and stands in the line with me. His arms wrap around my waist and he nuzzles my neck, placing soft kisses behind my ear. I flush hotly, moving us forward to the front of the line. Daniel helps me into the teal capsule. He slides up next to me and smiles when the older man working the wheel closes and locks the door. As we move up, I look out into the horizon, at the sun setting on the ocean.

A tear slips down my face at the sheer beauty of all of this. Daniel pulls me back into him cuddling into my back and whispering in my ear. "Tell me, have you seen a sunset turn into a sunrise, kiss right through the night? Cause we should try that sometime, hold you till the morning, and if I said I'm falling, would you just reply," I look at him and softly singing the next lyrics, "I know you are but what am I." 

His blue eyes stare at me, and I lose myself in them, my body pulled towards him, my lips to his. As we meet, fireworks (literally!) shoot into the sky. He smiles against my lips, turning to watch them, and as I see his face, so FREAKING adorably peaceful, I lose all control. I swing my leg over his lap, straddling him, sink my fingers into his soft hair, and pull him to me. My tongue moves against his, a battle as old as time, and this is it. 

This is all I need. Me and him. Forever. Us. We. He pulls me against him, leaning into me, and I caress his neck, moving my kisses down, trailing over his collarbone, and into the hollow of his throat. His head tilts back, his eyes closed, a satisfied smile on his face. I move up to his jaw again, slipping his earlobe between my teeth and biting gently. 

He jerks his head up, surprised. "You never cease to amaze me." he murmurs, pushing his mouth on mine again, but this time, moving all over my face, across my forehead and nose, one on each eyelid, trailing down my jaw and to my throat. The capsule wobbles suddenly and I fall into him, hitting his nose on my forehead. I regain balance and smile sheepishly. "What's the damage?" I ask hesitantly. "Just my patience." He hums a song low in his throat, the sound creating vibrations that tickle my ear. We reach the bottom and exit, finding Zach and Corbyn waiting for us by the gate. 

"Have fun?" Zach raises his eyebrow, holding up his phone, showing me a blown-up picture of us a few minutes ago. I shrug. "Don't knock it till you try it." I flip my hair and walk away, trying not to fall over. My knees are so weak right now. How am I still standing? I adjust my bag, putting the stuffed dog in it, and walk to my bike, unchaining it and riding it back to my Jeep, where Jack and Kennedy are making out. 

I whistle loudly before I get there so I don't embarrass them. I slow as I get up to them and put my bike back on the rack. "We're going to drive down to the beach to stay the night," I state. "We are?" Daniel asks, confused. "I haven't seen a sunset turn into a sunrise yet." I wink, "Now, I need you guys to head to the beach first. I and Keddie have some discussing to do." I smile at her and let the boys pile their boards in the back. 

They leave, Daniel throwing me a last glance, his gaze KILLING ME. "So, how is he?" I ask eagerly. "An amazing kisser. A+++++++. If that was a grade, he'd do so much better than that. Oh my god, I think I got pregnant from that kiss!" "That good, huh? Well, good news, Daniel is going to be your brother-in-law." "He proposed?!" she yells. "Shh. No, but he's the one. If we don't work out then I guess I'm destined to be lonely." I sigh, start the Jeep, and drive down the sandy trail onto the beach, going slowly, 5 mph. I drive in front of the boys, backing up so my car is nestled under the boardwalk.


	19. Chapter 19

I open the door and hop out, kicking off my shoes and tossing them into the back. I dig my toe in the cool sand, dragging it to create the shape of a heart. Kennedy bends over and writes a word in the middle: Us. I laugh at how perfect this is. "Can this be like a couples night or something? I'm feeling hella awkward." Zach asks. I nod, and he grabs his board and runs off the beach, followed by Corbyn and Jonah. 

"Wait..." I start to call. "It's okay. Bam Bam's gonna pick em up." he takes my hand gently in his and smiles softly. I look at him, my hair curtaining my face. He pushes it out of the way and tucks it behind my ear. "Walk with me," he says, pulling me along beside him. He pulls up the sleeve of his denim jacket, pulling me into the water. I giggle and kick water at him. He smiles at me, his eyes shining. 

I suddenly become serious, biting my lip shyly. "Hey," he takes my hands, pulls me out of the water and into the dry sand, "You know I love you, right?" I nod, a little breathless. He kisses my cheek and points out into the water, where I see dolphins jumping. I gasp, smiling and clapping, mesmerized by them. 

"Reagan," he calls, his voice suddenly really emotional. I turn, concerned, to see him turning a little box over in his hands, nervous. "What's wrong?" I put my hand on his cheek. He takes a deep breath. "Reagan Grace Mason." "Daniel James Seavey?" I wrinkle my brow confused until he slowly moves down, kneeling. When I realize what's happening, I gasp, tears springing to my eyes.

"Reagan, you are beautiful, and mine. I really don't want to lose you, so... um..." he wipes a tear from his face, which is remarkable because tears are streaming down mine. "I want to be sure that you're mine forever. Fuck the speech, Reagan, will you marry me? I know we're young but with you, it doesn't matter. I want to tie you to me in as many ways possible." he opens the box to show me a beautiful, simple princess-cut ring with a thin platinum band.

" he opens the box to show me a beautiful, simple princess-cut ring with a thin platinum band  
"Oh my... Seavey!" I sob, throwing my arms around his neck and crying into his neck. "Wait, so is that a..." "Yes! Oh my god, HELL YES!" I say, kissing him gently, surprised when he lifts me up, spinning me around, his lips never leaving mine. 

"Dude, the ring needs to be on her finger," Jack calls. I jump, whirling around. "You!" I point at Kennedy, "You knew?" "When you said that earlier I was really surprised because it was supposed to happen down here." she comes forward to hug me, and I hold her tight, tears still flowing. "Get your fucking ring!" she laughs, pushing me to him. I hold out a shaky hand, and he gently slides it on me. I shake my head, staring at it. 

"It's perfect. Exactly what I wanted. And I'm not exaggerating, this is identical to the one in my dreams," I breathe, grabbing his neck and pulling him to me again, our tongues rolling together passionately, his hands sliding up my sides and onto my spine. He traces shapes, the feeling familiar yet still hair-raising. 

"Baby." he murmurs, tangling his hands in my hair and pressing his mouth to the crown of my head. "Oh my... I love you." I cry. "Kay, we're gonna leave you two alone now, but have fun!" Kennedy and Jack run away, hand in hand. "You really didn't know?"

"Not at all. I hoped that, eventually, maybe even dreamt of our future life, but this, Oh my god." "I was so sure that I was going to fuck it up, so scared that it was too soon, but I decided that I've loved you from a distance for far too long." he shrugs, swinging our hands between us. I smile, truly happy, truly at peace.


	20. Chapter 20

6 Months Later|Daniel's POV

"C'mon, bro," Bam Bam grins, pulling me into the club, the strobe lights temporarily blinding me. I slide into a booth, rolling my eyes when I realize what kind of club we're in. Our waitress, a blonde wearing a short skirt and tight black tank top, approaches the table. "Hi, I'm Kitty. Can I get you boys anything to drink?" 

"Yep, beers 'round the table," Zach slaps the table with his hand and I chuckle. "Actually, can I just have a Coke?" I ask. "Anything for you, baby," she winks and walks off. I groan. "Yeah, I agree," Zach says, nudging me, "She's smokin'." "What? No! Not at all what I was thinking." "It's okay, Reagan isn't here right now. Have fun, man." Corbyn slaps my shoulder. "I can't have fun, not in a place like this." 

"So you don't find any of these women attractive?" Jonah raises his eyebrows. "No, not at all. Reagan is the one. I mean, sure, they're all pretty, but none quite as drop-dead like Reagan is." I say, forcing a smile at Kitty when she arrives with the drinks. "Can I get you anything else?" she asks, leaning forward and rubbing my forearm. 

I try so hard not to jerk away from her. "Ah, okay, look, I'm really sorry. You seem like a nice girl, and yeah, you are very pretty, but I don't think my fiance will like this particular interaction." I grimace, slightly pulling away. "She doesn't have to know." she shrugs, cocking her head. "No, she doesn't. But I'll know, and I can't do that to her. Also, you aren't her, so it won't be enjoyable for me at all." 

She huffs in frustration and storms away, swaying her hips violently. "Can we go?" I sigh. "Yeah, wanna just hop over to Party in LA?" I nod, sliding a 20 under the salt shaker and leaving quickly. We go back out to the car and drive the 10 minutes to the always-busy nightclub. I really need some dancing music right now. We walk past the bouncer, who nods as we pass, and enter the people-packed room. 

The strong smell of alcohol, sweat, and nachos surrounds me and I smile. "Let's go!!" I yell over the music, jumping into the crowd and dancing my ass off. I hear them laugh and follow. I whip my head around to the pounding bass, bumping into a girl. "Oh my gosh, I am so, so sorry." I laugh, helping her up. "I'm not," she says, sliding her hand over my bicep, "You're really hot," she yells over the music. "Thanks. My fiance thinks so, too." I yell back. Her hand falls away. "Shit, sorry man!" she yells before dancing away.

I crack my neck and continue to dance with my boys."I'm gonna head to the bathroom!" I tell them, pushing through people to get to the small, toilet filled room. I open the door, carefully avoiding a couple making out, step over someone puking in the toilet, and then I realize that there are no available stalls. "Shit." I curse. "Hey," a man with spiky pink hair comes up to me, "You look really familiar," "I'm in a band," I tell him, and he gasps. "You're Daniel Seavey!" He presses his hands onto my stomach and backs me into the wall. "Hey... man... please," I grunt, sliding out. "I don't swing that way, and I'm getting married." 

I shake my head, rubbing the back of my neck, and walk out to find the guys by the bar, drinking. "Zach, how the hell are you drinking?" I laugh, stealing the beer from his hand and taking a big sip. "What took you so long in there?" "I was cornered by a fan, who tried to... uh... yeah. On top of that, he was male. Why the hell do people keep hitting on me tonight?" I blurt, frustrated. "Well, sweetie, that would be because you are a bowl of hotness, drizzled with hotness, and just to be extra, little hotness chips thrown on top." A female voice says directly next to me. I turn and look at the redheaded admirer. 

"Look, I hate having to repeat myself. I. Am. Getting. Married." I roll my eyes and storm out of the club. I get into the car, slamming the door and hitting my hand on the steering wheel. "Dude, let's just go home. We can plan for the wedding." Bam Bam pats my shoulder, getting in the passenger seat. I exhale slowly, start the car, and begin to drive back to Tanya's. 

I get out, go upstairs, grab my guitar and keyboard and carry them into the attic. I sit in her beanbag chair, inhaling the smell of her. When they're all upstairs with me, the notebook in Jonah's hands, I declare, "Okay, so here's what I was thinking..."


	21. Chapter 21

6 Months Later|Daniel's POV

"C'mon, bro," Bam Bam grins, pulling me into the club, the strobe lights temporarily blinding me. I slide into a booth, rolling my eyes when I realize what kind of club we're in. Our waitress, a blonde wearing a short skirt and tight black tank top, approaches the table. "Hi, I'm Kitty. Can I get you boys anything to drink?" 

"Yep, beers 'round the table," Zach slaps the table with his hand and I chuckle. "Actually, can I just have a Coke?" I ask. "Anything for you, baby," she winks and walks off. I groan. "Yeah, I agree," Zach says, nudging me, "She's smokin'." "What? No! Not at all what I was thinking." "It's okay, Reagan isn't here right now. Have fun, man." Corbyn slaps my shoulder. "I can't have fun, not in a place like this." 

"So you don't find any of these women attractive?" Jonah raises his eyebrows. "No, not at all. Reagan is the one. I mean, sure, they're all pretty, but none quite as drop-dead like Reagan is." I say, forcing a smile at Kitty when she arrives with the drinks. "Can I get you anything else?" she asks, leaning forward and rubbing my forearm. 

I try so hard not to jerk away from her. "Ah, okay, look, I'm really sorry. You seem like a nice girl, and yeah, you are very pretty, but I don't think my fiance will like this particular interaction." I grimace, slightly pulling away. "She doesn't have to know." she shrugs, cocking her head. "No, she doesn't. But I'll know, and I can't do that to her. Also, you aren't her, so it won't be enjoyable for me at all." 

She huffs in frustration and storms away, swaying her hips violently. "Can we go?" I sigh. "Yeah, wanna just hop over to Party in LA?" I nod, sliding a 20 under the salt shaker and leaving quickly. We go back out to the car and drive the 10 minutes to the always-busy nightclub. I really need some dancing music right now. We walk past the bouncer, who nods as we pass, and enter the people-packed room. 

The strong smell of alcohol, sweat, and nachos surrounds me and I smile. "Let's go!!" I yell over the music, jumping into the crowd and dancing my ass off. I hear them laugh and follow. I whip my head around to the pounding bass, bumping into a girl. "Oh my gosh, I am so, so sorry." I laugh, helping her up. "I'm not," she says, sliding her hand over my bicep, "You're really hot," she yells over the music. "Thanks. My fiance thinks so, too." I yell back. Her hand falls away. "Shit, sorry man!" she yells before dancing away.

I crack my neck and continue to dance with my boys."I'm gonna head to the bathroom!" I tell them, pushing through people to get to the small, toilet filled room. I open the door, carefully avoiding a couple making out, step over someone puking in the toilet, and then I realize that there are no available stalls. "Shit." I curse. "Hey," a man with spiky pink hair comes up to me, "You look really familiar," "I'm in a band," I tell him, and he gasps. "You're Daniel Seavey!" He presses his hands onto my stomach and backs me into the wall. "Hey... man... please," I grunt, sliding out. "I don't swing that way, and I'm getting married." 

I shake my head, rubbing the back of my neck, and walk out to find the guys by the bar, drinking. "Zach, how the hell are you drinking?" I laugh, stealing the beer from his hand and taking a big sip. "What took you so long in there?" "I was cornered by a fan, who tried to... uh... yeah. On top of that, he was male. Why the hell do people keep hitting on me tonight?" I blurt, frustrated. "Well, sweetie, that would be because you are a bowl of hotness, drizzled with hotness, and just to be extra, little hotness chips thrown on top." A female voice says directly next to me. I turn and look at the redheaded admirer. 

"Look, I hate having to repeat myself. I. Am. Getting. Married." I roll my eyes and storm out of the club. I get into the car, slamming the door and hitting my hand on the steering wheel. "Dude, let's just go home. We can plan for the wedding." Bam Bam pats my shoulder, getting in the passenger seat. I exhale slowly, start the car, and begin to drive back to Tanya's. 

I get out, go upstairs, grab my guitar and keyboard and carry them into the attic. I sit in her beanbag chair, inhaling the smell of her. When they're all upstairs with me, the notebook in Jonah's hands, I declare, "Okay, so here's what I was thinking..."


	22. Chapter 22

I fling open the doors, stepping into the main hall. I look up at the ceiling, at the chandelier. "Hey, I have to go do something, but I'll be right back," he kisses my cheek, jogging up the stairs. My girls come in, along with the photographer to take my picture. 

After he takes my picture, I hear a guitar strumming. I look up to see the 5 boys coming down the stairs, Daniel singing. 

"I set out on a narrow way  
"I set out on a narrow way

Many years ago

Hoping I would find true love

Along the broken road

But I got lost a time or two

Wiped my brow and kept pushing through

I couldn't see how every sign

Pointed straight to you

Marry me

Today and every day

Marry me

If I ever get the nerve to say

Hello in this cafe

Say you will

Ooh

Cause God blessed the broken road

That led me straight to you

Heartbeats fast

Colors and promises

How to be brave

How can I love when I'm afraid

To fall

But watching you stand alone

All of my doubts

Suddenly go away somehow

My heads underwater

But I'm breathing fine

You're crazy

And I'm out of my mind

Every long lost stream

Led me to where you are

Others who broke my heart

They were like Northern stars

Pointing me on my way

Into you're loving arms

This much I know is true

That all of me

Loves all of you

Love your curves and all your edges

All your perfect imperfections

I have died every day waiting for you

Darling don't be afraid

I have loved you

For a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed

I would find you

Time has brought your heart to me

I have loved you

For a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more

And I give you all of me

Cause God blessed the broken road

That led me straight to you

God blessed the broken road

That led me straight to you."

He sings.

I start to cry when he takes my hand and spins me. "Daniel," I whisper, leaning into his side. "I love you, baby." he murmurs, handing the mic to Jack as the instrumental version of 8 Letters plays.

He pulls me to him; I nestle my head under his chin. "Isn't it amazing, how almost every line of our hands align when your hands in mine, it's like I'm whole again, isn't that a sign I should speak my mind," he sings softly in my ear. I stand on my tiptoes and whisper, "I know you are, but what am I." He grins and spins me, leaning me back into a dip, his arm holding my weight. I bite my lip, pull him into a kiss as everyone claps. I grin as Raise Your Glass by P!nk starts to play.

I spin and everyone congregates into a crowd, dancing and laughing. I sing the lyrics loudly, Daniel's hands on my waist. I whip my hair around, laughing. "So this is what love looks like," I hear next to me, seeing my ex-boyfriend, Jalen. "I'm glad you came," I yell over the music, throwing my arms around his neck. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'm glad you've found someone who makes you happy, truly." He presses a kiss to my cheek, walking away. I smile widely, twirling my little cousin under my arm, lifting him and spinning him in the air. He giggles and I smile. But the smile fades quickly when my stomach turns over.

"Excuse me," I push past people, running outside and falling to my knees by a bush. I hold my hair back and vomit until I have nothing left to choke up. "Hey, hey, are you okay?" my girls run to me, patting my back and holding my hair back as I dry heave. I sit up and shudder, "Yeah. I hate this. I ruined the reception." I groan, rubbing my cheeks roughly. "Not necessarily," Daniel says, walking up behind us and crouching to rub my back gently, "We can just tell everyone that we have to get going and they can continue to have fun. We don't have to give an explanation. I'm sure most of them will just think that we can't wait until tonight." he grins, helping me stand and walk back into the ballroom. 

He goes up to the DJ, whispers something, and grabs the mic. "Hey, everybody, I wanna thank you for coming here tonight. Unfortunately, Reagan and I have some business to attend to, so we need to get going. But please, stay and enjoy the refreshments and music. Again, thank you, and I am so sorry." he says, handing the mic back to the DJ. Right before we leave, everyone chants, "Kiss!Kiss!Kiss!" I look at him in horror. I just threw up, and now I have to kiss him. "I just vomited," I whisper. "Just kiss me," he smiles, pulling me to him and pressing his lips to mine. When he pulls away, my head is spinning and the clapping is making me really dizzy. He lifts me in his arms, cradling me against his chest, and walks to the limo. 

He slides me in first, sitting next to me. The driver hands me a bucket, which I clutch in my lap. The car moves, slowly at first, and I think I'll be fine, but then we hit a speed-bump and my stomach lurches. I hunch over the bucket, shoving my head in it, dry heaving. Daniel holds my hair back and rubs my knee. I look up at him, tears in my eyes from throwing up, "I didn't even get to throw the bouquet." I gasp, before vomiting again. 

Thankfully the car stops, and I get out, startling when the house I see isn't mine or Tanya's. It is, in fact, Daniel's Beverly Hills home. "Thank you," he tells the driver, helping me inside and onto the couch. "Wait, help me take off the dress, I don't want to ruin it," I wheeze before puking again. I groan. What an amazing bride, right? I stand shakily, kicking off my heels as he unzips the dress. 

I slide my arms out of the sleeves and let the dress drop to the floor. He drapes it on top of the dining room table, running upstairs to grab me a T-shirt and sweats. When he comes down, he has a chance to finally see me.


End file.
